NBA Rumors: Sacramento King DeMarcus Cousins Has Demanded a Trade

According to reports, Sacramento Kings center DeMarcus Cousins has demanded a trade and has been sent home from team facilities. This is bad news for the Maloof family and Kings fans.

Cousins has shown the ability to become a dominant force in the middle of the Kings lineup, and this will surely cause the young Kings team to falter, whatever the outcome.

Head coach Paul Westphal had this to say today about this report:

"

Whenever a new season begins, in any sport, there is great hope that everything will progress in only a steady, upward direction. As we all know, it seldom happens like that in this life!

As coaches, we can only ask that our players do everything they can to improve themselves as individuals and teammates. If they do this with all their hearts, we live with the results.

Everything that happens on a team does not become known to the public. This is how it should be. However, when a player continually, aggressively, lets it be known that he is unwilling/unable to embrace traveling in the same direction as his team, it cannot be ignored indefinitely.

DeMarcus Cousins has demanded to be traded. In the best interest of our team as we go forward, he has been directed by me, with the support of management, to stay home from the New Orleans game tonight.

"

This is a surprising development that is sure to bring a firestorm to Sacramento. It furthers the perception that Westphal has lost his team, and there will be calls for his head before this is all said and done.

The biggest question I have is this: What kind of chance do the Maloofs have of staying in Sacramento if their star players don't want to stick around?

Stay tuned for more information as it comes in.